Vibrator interrupter system



March 6, 1951 v I LEE 2,544,332

VIBRATOR INTERRUPTER SYSTEM Filed Aug. 16, 1946 r 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIGURE 1 IN VEN TOR.

- os RTH EE March 6, 1951 R. H. LEE

VIBRATOR INTERRUPTER SYSTEM 3 SheetsSheet 2 Filed Aug. 16, 1946 FIGURE 3 FIGURE 5 INVENTOR. ROBERlZ L E E Y B ATTY.

March 6, 1951 LEE I 2,544,332

.VIBRATOR INTERRUPTER SYSTEM Filed Aug. 16, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 M 33% 4 ,T 1'. g

lja

FIGURE 4 IN V EN TOR.

AT TY.

Patented Mar. 6, 1 951 .e pr ent i vention relateswto vibrating-ling terruptersystems, and more particularly. to vi: brating interrupter systems. having. ,a..p1ura1ity of interrupters, which it is desired tozoperatefiat yn h n us quency in phase.

It is one of the objects of the invention to:.pr.ovigie system for-the operation of at lea-st two vibratory interrupters at synchronous. ,ireq ncy- Anothenobject of;,t,h e invention .is 'the provi-. sion; of means for maintaining the operatiomof at least two vibratory interrupters; at. the same ireqnency, by, decreasing the frequency. of-thai vibrator interrupter, which --hasa tendency. to

Another Qbject-pf the invention-i5 the. pro.

vision. of; means ,foraautomaticaliy' lowering the frequency of that yibratory interruptenwhich has a tendency to-yibrate at a higher frequency. 1 His one of ;the objectsvof the invention topro-s vide neans ior maintaining more thantwo Vi? bratory interrupters. at the same-frequency.

Itis a still further object of my inventiontu providea means by which a pluraiity-otvibrating interrnpters may; be; maintained substantially-in seduri t o fimfion.

. For the. .purpose;ofdescribing the invent ion l V 3 have. i iht tated; s nta nw mbpd ments the; he eqcem en in dr w n s n1;wh hrangernent of a system;-embodyingmyi v miom Fig. 2'isa diagramrnatic view of a circuit anransameawh w iw 1 d ati. 2 my i vem tion; 7

Fig.3 is a diagrammatic view of'a circuit .ar n m m yinsf h d fication of m i en iohr rangement forcarryingmy inventign in connec: tion with more than two vibrator; interrupiersg and Fig. 5 is a siqe elevationiof; a viprator-in-teb rupter. of a type to be used. in connection with my invention.

f in t bramn nterr ter u a ed. n v e-.Y b. e 9 r; i te ru e comprises. suitable. frame .comprising- ;-a pain of side men hers I connected. at one end; by -a substantially i ha fi fi wn w Z thetwqsme l es- -cwh ch ar n dtd heis qe n e e y; s rew o malt ed vin -ana eet.cq m s ns; a 99M surround:

i P 132.iSfiQFPEdr-FQ: hesc cel by a ii hQ d- 1 -a s =rcanri ea r ilie t-@ 3 Part g; the nt ct I 'a apteeI- ati n. w ac l Q- ,-Q d@ me b I. The reed 5 andfits associated contact ar rns 8 and; 5 are clarnpeqfbetyeen the sicie arm si j in a suit ble staek l5 provided with-the negessary: i s l t n e mete s? r g l' z nil: e

In the operation of,.su 'ch a structure, the driver contacts .13 and. Ill ar" normal'lyclosed'. a'ngifthie 'jisI- finent withtherespectivaf a e im m man er-f a -W e e v .ene t ized,.-. the airnatnre. 'wi11 at tra'ctedjand. sviiing'fby the gx erted magneticio e Therefore}. nnonthe closing offt'hecircuit through the, m'agnetiwhi h'...,vvi1i set up a vibration the need. 5, .the reed. will .be' moved, in a direction nob e air b c n cts and e h-the other pair and also. open .the. driverlcontacts. With theope ning of the driveneontaots, the reed 5 will swing. in i he" opposite. girection.. 0pen'ing the initiallymlosed.power icontagts and. closing the ta 'Howeverfdneto .the

'bvjnh P st lam. a n emen the par t pow contaotsgwilij open prior.-

M mri n pi .6; m 9 ta s- 2 h? p iz injgthe driving cbiicircl itthrough thelflriving contacts is so timed thafi the driving. magnetgis qmp ielm eners ze .b thefi m th a tu p sses the .ceri er.. ...th, m eti w mo hs magnet, so ',that there will be {no residual mag;

mica.mes n .itsia i thm a i T e e; a e in. t mm w el ant-t p -1 awnlin th m Ps-et hen e zaraeiihe 1 y,- nt 1 ng t e f esmepw fi ereed v This. darnpin g feature of the vibrator is taken Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawing, I provide-- a pair of vibrator interrupters I1 and I8, the vibrator interrupter I1 having a vibrating reed I9 and the vibrator interrupter l8 having a vibrating reed 20. The reed l9 vibrates between a' pair of side contacts 2| and 22 respectively connected to the outer terminals of a primary winding 23 of a transformer, which transformer is provided with a secondary winding 24. The center tap of the winding 23 is connected to one side 25 of a source of power, which may be a battery or any other direct current source. The reed I9 is connected to the opposite side 26 of the source of power. The driving coil 21 of the reed [9 has one terminal connected to the side 25 of the source of power, the opposite terminal being connected to a driver contact 28 normally in contact with a contact on the reed I9. The power contacts 29 and 30, of the vibrating interrupter 20, are respectively connected to the opposite terminals of a primary winding 3l of the transformer, the center tap of this winding being connected to one side 25 of the source of power. The reed 20, like the reed I9 is connected to the side 26 of the source of power. The driving coil 32 of the reed has one terminal connected to one side of the source of power and the opposite terminal is connected to a driver contact 33 normally in engagement with a contact on the reed 20. Across the terminals of the driving coils 21 and 32. connected to contacts 28 and 33, is connected a condenser 35' having in series therewith a resistance 36.

In operation, as the vibrating reeds I9 and 20 vibrate respectively between the power contacts 2| and 22 and 29 and 30, the circuit will -be closed in' onedirection through the corresponding halves of the primary windings 23 and 3| and then in the opposite direction through the other halves of the windings, thereby developing an alternating current voltage in the secondary 24 of the transformer.

t In commercial practice, where a plurality of vibrators are used for controlling a given circuit, the vibrating reeds will tend to operate at different frequencies. It is mechanically almost impossible to'construct two vibrating interrupters so that they will vibrate at exactly the same frequency. Under such circumstances, referring to the system illustrated, the vibrating reeds I9 and 20 would tend to operate at different frequencies.

' The condenser 35', however, provides means for damping thatvibrator which tends to vibrate at the higher frequency. Furthermore, the means used forces that vibrator which would tend to vibrate at the higher frequency to stay in very close phase relationship to the naturally slower vibrator. It will be assumed, for the purpose of illustration, that reed I9 leads reed 20 by a small phase angle. It is further assumed that the two vibrators are approaching that position at which the driver contacts 28 and 33, are about to separate from contact with vibrating reeds I9 and 20. Since the reed I9 is leading the reed 20, the driver contact 28 will leave contact with the reed I9 before the driver contact 33 leaves contact with the reed 20. The condenser 35 has been shorted out previous to the instant that either driver contact loses contact with either center reed and it therefore has no charge at the instant driver contact 28 loses contact with reed I9. I have thus defined the conditions of the driver portion of the circuit at the instant of time at which action tending to synchronize the vibratory reeds starts.

It must be pointed out that the position of the driver contact in a vibrator is set in such a way that the maximum of drive is transmitted from the coil to the vibrating reed. If current is not interrupted at the instant the driver contact of the vibrator leaves the vibrating center reed, then the center reed will be damped. It must further be pointed out that the driving coil of the vibrator is a reactor. Therefore, once current has been set up in the driver coil, the magnetic field in that coil tends to maintain that current at its existing value. With these fundamental concepts in mind, it is now possible to understand the action of the illustration as detailed below.

Assume now, that because reed I9 is leading reed 20, driver contact 28 has left the center reed I9, whereas driver contact 33 is still in contact with the reed 20. The condenser 35' provides an alternate path of current for coil 21. Coil 21 at the instant the circuit has broken at contact 28 has reached its peak value of current flow. The magnetic field maintains this current flow and the current passes through condenser 35' to driver contact 33 and through to center reed 20. Since any current flow through coil 21 maintains its magnetic pull, and since magnetic pull, after driver contact 29 leaves center reed I9, tends to damp center reed I9, the center reed I9 is slowed down. The amount of current flow through condenser 35' can be controlled by the value of the condenser. This is true because as condenser 35' becomes charged due to the current flow from coil 21, it sets up a voltage in opposition to the direction of current flow. Thus, we have a control on the amount of damping action caused by said current flow through coil 21. The value of this condenser is chosen so that the damping action on the faster vibrating reed l9 will just bring it back into phase with vibrating reed 20. This value is not at all critical, since the effective action takes place only during a very small portion of the complete cycle of the vibrating center reeds. The important feature is that it be large enough to permit a sufiicient current flow during the effective portion of the cycle in which the damping takes place, and yet not so large that current flow is maintained through a major portion of the cycle. At a time after driver contact 28 loses contact with reed I 9, driver contact 33 loses contact with reed 20. This immediately suspends current flow in both coil 21 and coil 32. Thus, the lagging reed 20 gets its full drive from coil 32, whereas reed I9 got full power from coil 21 and then received a damping action from coil 21.

After both reed I9 and 20 have left driver contacts 33 and 28, and have swung to their maximum position away from the driver contacts, a further important action takes place in the circuit. Namely, the condenser 35 discharges to return to its original condition of zero charge. The'action takes place as follows. During the time when driver contact 29 was out of contact from coil 11:; After -:both.; reedsi have rlefti their. respective. driver; contactsiiand are: traveling to; I

ward their zenith,theqcondenserrlzfif discharges through .coils, :32. 1 ands-.21.. The, currentuflow through; coil-.3-2zis in.the.=same.di-rection asit was duringcontactof; driver contact-33 withmeedilla The current .flow. through .coil 21:;isin a-direction opposite 'tothatwhich itwasduringcontact of:

driver.v contact: '2 8.: :with read: I 9. This discharge takes place after; reeds .l 9; and-10.. arexsoefar; out oiranse: of; the: magnetic fields. in the. coils .that the. efiectcthereof isznegligible, nndgtherefore the current flowwdue-tothe aiischargeaofiacondenser 34. has.z;no:.-.eiEe.ct; upon the. ractionrof: the .reeds;

Throughout .thexbala'nce; of :theicyclethe :vibrae tors. act: as; they. normally; -.do;--..that:;-*is; they. get normal driving power up to the point-iwherezthe damping: action ion :the;leading-vibrator .again takes, place. In thisa way, theztwoxvibrators are heldnotonly at"thesamezfrequeney,butralso sub; stantially in the same phase: Theresult ofthe synchronizingaction is-that the power points; 25 and. 2!. get their power simultaneously and. the power i broken1simultaneously.s On the other half cycle? power. points .22; :and .30; receive. .power: simultaneously: andathe power. is. interrupted simultaneously.

Inthesystem illustrated in Fig. 3, I have. shown a modification of my invention whereini instead of the. control beingeifectedsthrough,the driving contacts, I have providedfor :the. controlrbeing effected Lthrough the .power. contacts. a In: .the.

arrangement-illustrated in Fig, ;3;the. driving coil 21 has connected across one," terminal: thereof and thepower contact. 29; of the vibratory mam-.1

her; l8,- a condenser'35vhaving varrangedinseries therewith a protective. resistance36;. The.driv-.

ing; coil 32,.has "connected across one..-terminalthereof and the. contact-:22 ofthevibratory inter-.-. rupter ll'acondensen 31. .hav-ingza protective. resistance 38in series; therewith. With .the reeds l9 and :2 respectively. engagingcontacts; 28 and 33, condenser-35,- will be. charged fromthe. battery through reed 1 9,- contact; 28 andcondenser 35;-.thetop 4 half; of; the. primary winding: 3 l' tovrbattery, Condenser 31 will be charged from ireed illacon tact 33. and. condenser, the; top half of primary winding 3| back to the opposite side of the battery; Assuming-that vibratory reed is the leading contact, the break at contact and engagement ofcontact 29* willbesornewhat ahead ofv the break with the contact and theicngagee ment of the contact 2! with the.-resu1t-.that-.con-:-

denser 35 will discharge through the. driver contact 28 and -the-drivercontact 29withthe result that there will be little or no. effect on the winding. 21. or thelaggingreed 19.. Atithe same timeafte'r reed 20 leaves contact, 33 conde'nser 312 iwill'adischarge through. he coil 32,..through the battery and -back;to the opposite side-10f. ;-the line; .This

results in a surge of current through the coil 32 which in turn results in a damping action on the reed 20 thus bringing it into phase with the reed l9. On the reverse half of the cycle, a similar action takes place. However, the surge of current through the coil of the leading vibrator comes at such a time as to damp that reed. Whereas, the surge of current through the coil of the lagging vibrator arrives at such a time as to aid that reed.

In the arrangement illustrated in Fig. 2, I have provided a system whereby I take advantage of 6 3.. the; combined;- eflects" or ithe 51 arrangements-A1 .to get a much .closer regulation of the two vibratoryreed I 'I and I8, than-I am with eitherof: the arrangementsillustrated in Figs. 1 and--13. In

somerespects;*the-condenser 39; provides a bye.

pass-for the condensers- 40? and 42. 1 In :eachinstance; however; with: "respect to theuarrangementsjillustratedinFigs. 1, ,2 and'3, there is a damping action on thewleading vibratory reed, which action tends to reduce the amplitude of the reed and thusreduce the frequency of the reed until the frequency of the reed whichwillnormally leadwill be in synchronism with theircquency of the reed which would normall lag and the reed will be maintained in phase;

In the arrangement illustrated in Fig.- 4,- I have shown a modiflcation wherein more than two; in the arrangement shown three,vibratory interrupters are maintained in synchronism and in phase-lock. Inthe arrangement illustrated in FigApthree vibratory interrupters- 44, 4 5' and 46. areprovided for controlling the primary windlugs 41, 48 and 49 of the transformer having a secondary winding 50; The vibratory interrupter 44 isprovidedwith a centerreed 5i 'operating between power contacts 52 and--53, and-being driven by a driving'coil 54 having one terminal connected'with a driver contact-55 and its onposite terminal connected to one side 56of a direct current source of supply.

The vibratory interrupter 45 is' provided with a center reed '51- operating between'thepower contacts? 585 and- 551 and having a driving coil-60 controlled by. the driver contact 6|." 1 1 The vibratory interrupter-46 is provided with a centerreedufiz operatingbetween' the power contacts 63 and :64. and driven-by a driving coil v65: having oneterminal connected "to a driver 48v and his provided-with a center tap con-" nected :to the lead- 56 ofthe supplycircuit: Each of-the coils:54',.66 and 65 has. one terminal con-- riected to the supply line 56; sothat'in operation, the reedsr5l', 51. and62 willbe driven bytheirrespective driving coils. I Substantially the same arrangement for main taini-ng the. vibrator reeds: in synclironism isaused iuthe arrangement. shownin Fig. .4, as isshown in Fig. 2. A condenser 83 with a protective resistance 84 in series therewith is connected between the terminals of the driving coils 54 and 60 and across the contacts 55 and 6|. A second condenser 61 with a protective resistance 68 is connected between the terminals of the driving coils 60 and 65 and across the contacts 6! and 66 and a third condenser 69 in series with a protective resistance I0 is connected between terminals of the driving coils 65 and 54 and across the contacts 55 and 6B. In operative effect, the condensers 83, 61 and 69 act in substantially the same mariner as the condenser 39 in the arrangement illustrated in Fig. 2. For instance, if the reeds and 62 tend to lead the reed 51, then a damping current would be maintained through the condensers 83 and 61 through contact 6!. If, however, the reed 62 happens to be the lagging reed, then the damping current for the driving coils 60 and 54 would be through the condensers 61 and 69 and the contact 66. It is, therefore, apparent from the arrangement, that I have provided a damping current surge for the driving coil, of whichever reed or reeds happen to lead the reed having the greatest tendency to lag through a condenser or condensers to the driver contact of the reed which tends to lag.

Supplementing the above action or cooperating with the respective condensers 83, 61 and 69, I provide a series of condensers operating in substantially the same manner as is disclosed in Fig. 2. To this end, one terminal of the coil 54 'is connected through a condenser 19 and resistance 80 with the contact 58 andlikewise through the condenser T! and resistance 18 with the contact 63. One terminal of the coil 60 is connected through a condenser 8| and the resistance 32 to contact 52 and also through the condenser .15 and resistance 16 with contact 63. Likewise, one terminal of the coil 65 is connected through the condenser 13 and resistance 14, with the com tact 52 and through the condenser 'l I and resistance 12 with the contact 58. Accordingly, with the arrangement I have provided condensers corresponding to condensers 40 and 42 of Fig. 2 and their respective resistances for cooperating with whichever of the plurality of vibrator reeds hap pens to tend to lead.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination with at least a first vibrating interrupter and a second vibrating interrupter, said first and second vibrating interrupters each including contact means, a vibrating contact member cooperating therewith and a driving magnet having a coil intermittently energized from a direct current source through the vibrating contact member, said vibrating contact members being mechanically independent, of means for operating the vibrating contact members of said first and second vibrating interrupters at substantially the same frequency comprising c011- necting means for connecting a terminal of the driving magnet of the first vibrating interrupter with a contact cooperating with the vibrating contact member of said second vibrating interrupter and a terminal of the driving magnet of said second vibrating interrupter with a contact cooperating with the vibrating contact member of said first vibrating interrupter, said connecting means including a condenser.

2. A system for converting current from a di rect current source into alternating current, said system-having at least a first vibrating interrupter circuit and a second vibrating interrupter circuit, said first and second vibrating interrupter circuits, each including contact means ineluding a vibrating contact member and a driving magnet having a coil intermittently energized from a direct current source through the vibrating contact member said vibrating contact members being mechanically independent, and means for operating the vibrating contact members of the first and second vibrating interrupters at substantially the same frequency, which comprises connecting means connecting the coil of the driving magnet of the first vibrating contact member in circuit relation with a condenser and a contact cooperating with the vibrating contact member of the second vibrating interrupter and a second connection means connecting the coil of the driving magnet of the second vibrating contact member in circuit relation with a condenser and a contact cooperating with the vibrating contact member of the first interrupter.

3. A system for converting current from a direct current source into alternating current, said system including at least a first vibrating interrupter circuit and a second vibrating interrupter circuit, said first and second vibrating interrupter circuit, each including a driving magnet having a coil, a vibrating contact member, a driving contact cooperating with said vibrating contact member for intermittently energizing the driving magnet coil from the direct current source and a power contact, the improvement for operating the vibrating contact members of the first and second vibrating interrupter circuits at substantially the same frequency, which comprises connecting means for connecting the coil of the driving magnet of the first vibrating contact member in circuit relation with the driving contact of the second vibrating interrupter circuit and the driving magnet coil of the second vibrating contact member with the driving contact of the vibrating interrupter of the first vibrating interrupter circuit, said circuit connections including a condenser, means for connecting the driving coil of the vibrating contact member of the first circuit with a power contact of the vibrating interrupter of the second circuit, said means including a condenser, and "means for connecting the driving coil of the second vibrating contact member with a power contact of the first vibrating circuit interrupter, said means including a condenser.

ROBERT H. LEE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,337,207 Nicholson Dec. 21, 1943 2,372,966 Kiltie Apr. 3, 1945 2,439,107 Slater Apr. 6, 1948 2,443,675 Brown June 22, 1948 

